


Neither Can Sleep

by Riddle_Me_This_Darling



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Sneaking Around
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:42:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26696941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riddle_Me_This_Darling/pseuds/Riddle_Me_This_Darling
Summary: Unable to sleep, Sybil snuck out of her bedroom to enjoy some peace and a change of scenery. She meets Thomas Barrow in an unexpected place.
Relationships: Thomas Barrow & Sybil Crawley
Comments: 1
Kudos: 41





	Neither Can Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> I'm currently working on another story, but this is a silly idea that popped into my head.

It was very early in the morning, and Sybil Crawley should have been asleep in bed. She was in her father’s library, looking out of the window from the chair she’d pulled away from her father’s desk. Outside, she marvelled at the sun as it rose over the horizon as a canopy of gold, bright and wonderful amid the blue, commanding the stars to take their nightly rest. Awash with yellows, oranges and pinks, the sky glowed like a summer peach. It made her hungry, and she felt a low rumble in her stomach. Wrapping her arms tightly around her sides, she ignored the call of hunger and gazed longingly at the stretches of lawn surrounding the house. When she was a child, she loved to run and tumble, ignoring nanny whenever she was scolded for her unladylike behaviour. A treacle of condensation caught her eyes, and she watched it slowly trickle down the window. Outside, on the window ledge, the morning dew decorated the wood like fine beading. At that moment, Downton did not appear mundane and oppressive, but alive and magical.

She smiled fondly when a sudden knock on the window made her jump.

“Thomas!” She cried and grabbed the handle the open the window.

“Hello,” the valet greeted her, looking rather sheepish. “You’d have seen me anyway, so I thought I might as well bid you good morning.”

Sybil scoffed and corrected him, “Well, you technically haven’t.”

“Good morning.”

She laughed at his sarcasm and folded her arms, leaning her elbows against the window frame.

“What are you doing out here?” She asked, glancing around to make sure there was nobody else in the vicinity. If Thomas was caught, he’d get into trouble.

The valet shrugged and explained matter of factly, “There’s a window downstairs that’s easy to climb out of. I’ve used it for years to sneak out for walks.”

Sybil gave him a disapproving look, but her lips still quirked into a smirk. Shaking her head, she told him, “It concerns me how crafty you are.”

“I only come out for ten minutes or so,” said Thomas. “I have a quick smoke and a wander, and I’m back in bed before anyone misses me. Speaking of which, why are you in here?”

“I suppose that’s fair,” Sybil mumbled as she rested her chin on her elbows. Staring past Thomas at the trees, she answered, “I just couldn’t sleep. I wanted a change of scenery, so I came here.”

“What about Mr Branson?” Thomas asked, and there was a slight edge to his tone. He still didn’t care for her husband.

She rolled her eyes at his disdain and calmly replied, “He’s sleeping. I didn’t disturb him when I woke up, so I don’t think he’ll notice that I slipped out.”

Thomas yawned and stretched his arms out to the sides. Sighing, he smiled at Sybil and said, “Well, I best get back inside. Don’t go revealing my secrets now, you hear?”

“I ought to report you to Carson,” Sybil teased. “It’s a safety breach. Someone might see you and follow you, and a thief will know how to get into the house.”

“Ah yes”, Thomas nodded in mock seriousness, and replied, “I’ll make sure nobody is following me, and I’ll lock the window behind me. That way, no shady character can sneak in. We won’t be murdered in our beds.”

“Oh, don’t say that,” Sybil whined. “I once had an awful nightmare about that. I want to have a good night’s sleep tonight!”

“Well, if you don’t,” Thomas said dryly as he turned to walk away, “you can always join me for a walk in the morning.”

Sybil tutted and shook her head at his cheek.

“I’m telling Carson!”

“I’ll tell your father that it’s you sneaking into his library and moving the furniture around.”

She laughed and waved a dismissive hand as her friend walked away. Over his shoulder, he threw her a grin. She smiled back, and carefully closed the window, taking extra care to make sure it was locked. She turned and looked at the small clock above the grand fireplace, noticing the time. The servants would be awakening soon, and someone will clean the library. Gathering her nightdress around her, Sybil hurried to the door and quietly left the room. Once she was back in her room, she climbed into bed and smiled at her snoring husband.

She closed her eyes and sighed contently until she remembered that she hadn’t put her father’s chair back under his desk.

_“Oh, bugger!”_

**Author's Note:**

> Do I find it realistic that Thomas would climb out of a window? Yes, and no.  
> Do I care? Absolutely not.
> 
> I hoped you enjoyed this lighthearted short story.


End file.
